Morden Legion Branch #11 will be getting a new elevator thanks to support from three organizations in the area.

The Legion is replacing their elevator, which has outlived its usefulness and has been costing the Legion money in repairs.

“We spent $3,000 in July and August alone on repairs,” Legion President Bob Frost said. “Probably this year we spent $6,000 and last year was close to the same. Financially, it made sense to replace this as soon as possible.”

Frost said there are about four to six members that use the elevator daily, and on weekends that usage climbs.

“As our branch population ages and the guests age, it’s going to be required more and more than it is at this time,” he said.

Frost said they approached the Morden Area Foundation, the Morden Elks and Enbridge for support. “We probably could have done it ourselves fundraising but it would have taken us two years,” he said. “Now we’re probably looking at this coming April.”

The elevator will cost $31,600, and with permits and electrical work will bring the project to around $35,000.

Enbridge donated $5,000 toward the project.

The Morden Elks have already made their donations for the year and will be supplying an unknown amount in the spring, and the Morden Area Foundation donated a sizeable amount, which will be announced at their upcoming Annual General Meeting on December 11.

“The night when the Morden Area Foundation called me, I’m not usually stuck for words but when she told me how much, I [said] ‘Oh, that’s unbelievable,’” Frost said. “We knew then that we could do this.”

The Legion held a liver fundraiser, a fish fry and is doing a Co-op gift card fundraiser to raise the remainder. Whatever else is needed to top up the project will be taken from the Poppy Fund.

Frost estimates the new elevator will be in place for June, and said the legion’s next project could be renovating the aging bathrooms.

The Legion currently has 399 members, and has seen numbers growing over the last few years. “Our volunteer base is growing and every time we get new volunteers they bring friends out and next thing you know they’re volunteering,” Frost said. “That’s what keeps us going. When we have all these fundraisers we used to do it with 20 people… now we probably have 65-70. It’s amazing.”